I love mid-winter, a beautiful time to celebrate all the beloved Aquarians in my life – soul friends, grandfather, father, grandsons, and niece. How many times have I written this update about the signs of birth of new life? At last mid-season, autumn, we gathered at the top of the field to see signs of ancient trails. When I look at this picture now, I can image us looking into the future from then until now. This quiet time of Imbolc gives me space to realize what I have gained and what I can do without. Here are a few examples.
curiosity mystery all heart
Annual Autumn Open Studio, yes, I’ll keep it. And the tone of Curiosity – Mystery – All Heart. That might be the only exhibition I have of new work this year, and this makes me feel spacious. You like the chance to come here, see living color in person, buy gifts of art and jewelry, learn some stuff and eat irresistible baked goods from Greg’s oven.
Holiday Special, no, I can do without that. It was not worth the promotional effort. Instead, I am inclined to not sell new art. For now, the art on the website is available. One task ahead is to update the site by removing some pieces, raising some and lowering some prices on others. If it happens organically, I might offer Series Specials to folks on my email list.
I summed up the entire year in Year Review. 2023 Year ReView
December, retreat time, yes, I’ll keep it. One month of journaling and revelry. The neighborhood Solstice party brings cheer and lights. This year we added a thrilling and adventurous road trip to Colorado for Christmas with family and friends. It was filled with every good thing from welcome home chicken soup, a mountain view from the bedroom, parties, presents, memorable moments full of mirth, food and conviviality.
Snowy Mountains from the Back Yard
Robert Bellows with the Dragon at Warrior Storyfield
Eastern Colorado on Highway 36, the Pony Express
Then there was the cold. Well, what do we expect? We delayed returning for a day because of a blizzard that closed roads. Which one to take? Would you prefer being alone on a small highway or between a lot of trucks? Waiting was and often is the best choice.
Once home, I felt like I had accomplished an expedition. Soon we settled into January projects – plan the Color Book Class, tax papers, make soap, clean the upper shelves in the studio, clean because we’re inside staying warm.
Color Book Class, empty book, charts, supplies
Water freezing in the annex was the first indication of a downturn of events. The class was rescheduled because it was scary cold and it made no sense to drive on snowy country roads. No matter, it will be exciting to have it now on February 10, an auspicious Tibetan New Year Day. As I write now, the water is flowing again.
To pass the time indoors I immersed myself in cataloguing my inks in a Wearingeul system my son gave me for Christmas. It was time to reorganize a section of the studio for them and have them within reach so I would use them more often. They were here and there in their boxes according to size. I didn’t have a good reference for the color or samples of how they acted in pens.
Fountain pen ink in boxes
I said, “Kathy, it’s OK to have a hobby” whenever I questioned spending time with this. All I knew was, it was fun and I want to write more. That triggered the whole studio reorganization/cleaning process. Like I said, it’s January and I love mid-winter for organizing. Plus, I cleared enough space on the workbench to place the soap drying screen over the heat vent. This sends a fragrance of olive oil into the room.
The art I have to share now at mid-winter is from Travel Injoy Book, kept from late September to New Year. It is a small bundle of watercolor sketches, color studies, family and friend’s contributions, a visual diary of life on the move. Portability, riding inside the travel art bag, makes this ideal for me right now. It’s akin to a textbook for the Color Book Class. Students can’t help but see the fun and fulfillment factor in this, I’m hoping to inspire them to use their book in their own way. Travel Injoy Book
Hibernation is allowed and practiced. All experience is composting. It’s all being crafted with trust into the art of living. I’m filling the next memory journal with words and painting, empty graphs for future mixes. Curiosity – Mystery – All Heart is still the foundation for being.